Simi Valley Hospital | Living Well | Winter 2015-2016

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2975 N. Sycamore Drive
Simi Valley, CA 93065
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Thousand Oaks, CA
Permit No. 1172
Aware and in charge
NEW PROGRAM HELPS PATIENTS STAY OUT OF THE HOSPITAL
PEOPLE WHO are diagnosed with
congestive heart failure (CHF) or chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
have a life-changing array of responsi-
bilities suddenly thrust upon them: new
medications, new routines, new ways of
eating and much more.
As part of an initiative by parent
company Adventist Health, Simi Valley
Hospital’s Home Health Services has
launched a program to help these
patients adjust to their new lifestyle, learn
to manage their symptoms and—most
important—avoid having to go
back to the hospital.
In the zone
The Readmission Prevention
Program works like this: The
day after newly diagnosed
CHF or COPD patients are
discharged from the hospital,
a home health nurse visits
them, bringing along a blood
pressure cuff, a bathroom
scale and a pill organizer. The
nurse teaches patients how
to use those items to assist
in managing their condition, in part by
Learn more about Simi Valley Hospital’s award-winning
Home Health Services: Call 805-955-8190.
detecting sometimes subtle changes. In
the case of CHF, these changes include
sudden weight gain, swelling and short-
ness of breath.
Patients report their results based
on three “zones”—the green zone,
which means their symptoms are under
control; the yellow zone, which indicates
they need to call their home health
nurse or a physician; and the red zone,
the sign of a life-threatening change in
their health that requires a 911 call for
immediate emergency care.
Hospital staff are also
educating caregivers—including
local physicians—about the
zones so they can respond
appropriately when a patient
uses those terms.
“We’re not going to be with
individual patients for a long
time—maybe just a month or
two—so we want to teach them
to manage their symptoms on a
daily basis and get to a physician
in a timely manner if and when it
becomes necessary,” said Eileen
Tondreau, director of Simi Valley
Hospital’s Home Care Services.
Making the call
The patient training also includes
how to effectively interact with physi-
cians’ offices.
“After a CHF or COPD patient is
discharged, we want them to see their
physician within seven days,” Tondreau
said. “However, in some cases, if a
patient calls the office and just says,
GREEN
Symptoms are
under control.
Patient needs to
call their home
health nurse or
a physician.
Sign of a life-
threatening
change in
patient’s
health that
requires a
911 call for
immediate
emergency care.
YELLOW
RED
Simi Valley Hospital offers assis-
tance in an outpatient setting for adults
struggling with swallowing, speak-
ing, voice and cognitive disorders,
and related challenges. Our licensed
speech-language therapists employ
technology and technique to help
people regain abilities lost due to stroke,
Parkinson’s disease, head and neck can-
cer, dementia, dysphagia, misuse/over-
use of the voice, and other conditions.
Help for
speech
and
swallowing
LIVING WELL is published as a
community service for the friends and
patrons of SIMI VALLEY HOSPITAL,
2975 N. Sycamore Drive, Simi Valley,
CA 93065, telephone: 805-955-6000,
website:
Information in LIVING WELL comes from a wide range of
medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about
specific content that may affect your health, please contact
your health care provider.
Models may be used in photos and illustrations.
2015 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
Jennifer Swenson
President and CEO
John Dingilian, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Steve Willis
Editor
Brian Ruditsky
Interim Director, Marketing
and Communication
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For more information, go to , hover over
“Services” then click on “Outpatient Speech-Language Therapy.”
‘I want to make an appointment,’ they
might be given an appointment for
three weeks later. We teach them to be
specific, saying something like ‘I was
hospitalized for congestive heart failure
and need to follow up with my doctor
within seven days.’ That’s a skill they can
use to better communicate with their
caregivers in all situations.”